Sculpturing blank and method of making the same



Feb. 19, 1963 w. RIVA 3,077,676

SCULPTURING BLANK AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Feb. 5, 1 958INVENTOR. Wz'l Z L am R 1, 1/

BY I

' Mun/1., .L iddy, Daniels ii/March ATTURNEXS' United States Patent3,077,676 fiCULPTUlilNG BLANK AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME WilliamRiva, New York, N.Y., assignor of two-thirds to The Luchland Company,New York, N.Y., a firm Filed Feb. 5, i953, Ser. No. 713,342 Claims. (Cl.3526) This invention relates to the art of soulpturing, and moreparticularly to sculpturing blanks, such as may be supplied in kits orthe like, and methods of making such blanks.

I-Ieretofore, sculpturing kits have been provided, supplied with simpletools and with blanks whereby the would-be sculptor has in one packageall of the items necessary to learn and carry out sculpturing. Such kitshave always had a drawback in that it was difficult to forsee the amountof success or failure which the Wouldbe sculptor ultimately ended upwith. This is in part due to the many elements and skills which aredifiicult for a novice to master before he may arrive at a single,successful piece of sculpture. There exist the problems of forming andsupporting the armature, the problems of rough blocking, shaping and thelike which, when encountered for the very first time are difficult tolearn.

Each phase of sculpturing is of Sufficient importance in effecting theultimate piece as to warrant practice until it is mastered, andaccordingly a well-sculptured piece represents a series of successivesteps each of which must be skillfully performed. For the novice thisoften results in discouragement and failure. The above drawbacks anddisadvantages attendant prior sculpturing kits are obviated by thepresent invention, and one object of the invention is to provide a noveland improved sculpturing blank, which may be constituted as part of akit, and which requires but a minimum of skills in order to end up witha finished and attractive sculptured item.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sculpturingblank as above set forth, which will offer a desirable reward and goalto the lambent sculptor while at the same time teaching some of themore-important aspects and phases of sculpturing.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novelsculpturing blank of the above type which lends itself readily to theuse of various tools, in accordance with the order of the stages ofsculpturing.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improvedsculpturing blank having as its ultimate objective a finished figure ofpremolded form, correct in its various proportions and representative ofat least a fair amount of sculpturing skill.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novelsculpturing blank having a premolded ultimate figure, wherein thesculptor may readily add or modify such ultimate figure, to incorporatehis own finishing touches.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of anovel sculpturing blank as above set forth, which may be adapted forworking by very young children as well as relatively unskilled adults.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved sculpturingblank enabling the would-be sculptor to very easily, successfully workthe Same while simultaneously teaching such elements as balance,proportion, expression and the like.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simplified andadvantageous method or process for fabricating sculpturing blanks havingthe above characteristics.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar 3,fi77,fi7fiPatented Feb. 1%, 1953 ICC tions being broken away to reveal theinterior construe-- tion.

The novel sculpturing blank of the present invention embracesessentially a premolded figure constituting a nucleus or inner portionof a rough composite molding blank. Such nucleus may have various shapesand forms. Also, it may be of simple configuration, or may have varyingdegrees of detail and complexity.

In FIGS. 1-3 the inner portion or nucleus of the sculpturing blank isconstituted as a molded figure it? of a small duck, somewhat fanciful.The molded figure 10 may be of any suitable sculpturing clay which issomewhat hard but still susceptible of being readily worked or, it maybe a hardened piece, susceptible of etching or scratching.

By the present invention, the figure it is coated with a thin overallcoating 11, which may be of a relatively soft substance which can beeasily cut. I have found that a suitable substance for the coating 11 isordinary candle wax. However, other wax-like substances, synthetic substances and the like may be used in place of the candle Wax. The coating11 is seen to be relatively thin and to conform closely to theconfiguration of the molded figure 10.

Surrounding the coating 11, in accordance with the in vention, I providea second coating 12 which is preferably relatively thick and non-uniformas regards its thickness. The coating 12 is preferably constituted of asculpturing material, such as sculpturing clay.

In furtherance of the invention I now provide a third coating 13,encompassing the thick and non-uniform coating 12. The coating 13 isseen to be relatively thin and uniform, and may be also constituted ofcandle Wax or other suitable soft and easily cut substance. I thereafterprovide a further relatively thick and non-uniform coating 14, which isagain of sculpturing material such as sculpturing clay. The coating 14has an outside shape very unlike the shape of the initial molded figureit), as will be readily seen, and this is due to the thickness andnon-uniformity of the coatings 12. and 14 of sculpturing material.

If desired, further thin, wax-like coatings and thick I coatings of sculpturing material may be added, over the coating 14 shown in thefigures.

Further, in accordance with the invention, the coatings- 11 and 13 areconstituted to have different colorings, or the coatings 12 and 14 maybe constituted to have different colorings, or both sets of coatings maybe colored differently.

In accordance with the method of the invention, the molded figure it maybe dipped in molten wax or sprayed with molten wax of relatively lowtemperature, whereby the wax coating will quickly thicken and set. Thiscoated object may then be dipped in a thick mud-like bath of modelingclay and thereafter lifted from the bath and subjected to hot air so asto quickly harden the clay coating 12 formed thereby.

Thereafter a second immersion in a wax bath or wax spraying is effected,to form the coating 1?, wiereupon a second immersion in the bath ofmolding clay is done to produce the outermost coating 14.

I have found that when using candle wax, a temperature of 130 degrees isdesirable so that the wax quickly sets, with a thickness ofapproximately of an inch, requiring but a single dipping. Differenttemperatures may be employed, with different wax or wax-likeformulations, as Will be understood. With large pieces, coatings thickerthan 3 are desirable, using a lower temperature, as for example 120.

It will be understood that, after dipping in or spraying with hot wax,the figure may be subjected to a cooling blast of air, if this should befound desirable. The warm air blast employed with the clay coatingstends to quickly remove the moisture therefrom and hasten the settingoperation.

With a sculpturing blank as above set forth even a novice or very youngperson may produce a presentable finished figure utilizing the variousrequired sculpturing tools to work on the rough blank and removetherefrom the now undesired layers or coatings. In the clay and/ or Waxcoatings are given different colors, the sculptor first removes theouter coating 14 of one color, revealing the wax coating 13 of anothercolor, and then takes off the wax coating 13 to reveal the inner claycoating 12- of a diflerent color. The sculptor then carefully removesthe clay coating 12, revealing the innermost wax coating 11, and uponcareful removal of the latter the finished figure it) will be fullyexposed, properly proportioned andconstituting a finished article.

During the process of removing the various coatings, the sculptordevelops skills in handling the various tools. Even though it is thefirst time that he does sculpturing, there is a good chance of ending upwith a fairly presentable ultimate object, and he may even carefullysculpture and work the ultimate object, to provide'his own finishingtouches.

It will be understood that the clay layers and clay figure It may all beof the same color, and that thewax coatings 11 and 13 may be ofdifferent colors to constitute a positive and easy-to-follow guide inremoving the layers and revealing the final finished form.

While, as disclosed in the drawings, I provide an initial molded figurehaving four coatings, either more or fewer coatings may be employed, andvarious color combinations may be utilized within the spirit of theinvention.

With a sculpturing blank as above constituted, sculpturing skills may bereadily developed in an interesting manner, with the reward ofpresentable, final. figures. The sculpturing process with its attendantreward becomes a satisfying one, and I have found that my presentimproved sculpturing blank has many advantages over sculpturing kits notprovided with such blanks.

It will be understood that final composite sculptures may be made, usingindividual pieces formed as aboveand thereafter assembled. Wings of acupid, for example, could be initially separate from the body.

Variations and modifications may be made within the:

scope of the claims, and portions of the improvements may be usedwithout others,

I claim:

1. A sculpturing blank comprising a molded figure constituted of asculpturing material; a thin and substantially uniform coatingsurrounding said figure, constituted of a relatively soft, easily cutsubstance; a relatively thick and non-uniform coating of sculpturingmaterial, surrounding said first-mentioned coating; another thin andsubstantially uniform coating surrounding said last-mentioned coatingand constituted of a relatively soft, easily cut substance; and afurther relatively thick and non-uniform coating of sculpturingmaterial, surrounding the said last-mentioned coating of easily cutsubstance, said further coating having an indefinite shape appreciablydifferent from the shape of said molded figure.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the coatings ofsculpturing material are of different colors.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the coatings of easilycut substance are of different colors.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the coatings ofsculpturing material are ofcolors different from the coatings of easilycut substance.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the easily cut substancecomprises Wax.

6. The method of making asculpturing blank, which includes the steps ofmolding a figure from sculpturing material, evenly, thinly coating saidfigure with a soft and easily out substance, applying a relatively thickand nonuniform coating of sculpturing material over said soft coating,applying another even and thin, soft and easily cut coating over thelast-mentioned coating, and applying a relatively thick and non-uniformcoating of sculpturing material over said last-mentioned easily cutcoatmg.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 in which the coatings are appliedby immersing the figure in the substance with which it is to be coated.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 in which the easily cut coatingsare applied as molten. material of relatively low temperatures at whichthe substance of such coatings remains thick.

9. 'I'heinvention as defined in claim 7 in which the coatings. ofsculpturing material are subjectedto a stream of warm air to cause themto set quickly.

10 A sculpturing blank comprising a molded figure constituted ofsculpturing material; a thin coating of substantially uniform thicknesssurrounding said figure, constituted of relatively soft easily cutsubstance; and a relatively thick and non-uniform coating of sculpturingmaterial surrounding said first-mentioned coating of easi- 1y cutsubstance, said last-mentioned coating having an indefinite shapeappreciably different from the shape of saidmolded figure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,446,941 Smith Feb. 27, 1923

1. A SCULPTURING BLANK COMPRISING A MOLDED FIGURE CONSTITUTED OF ASCULPTURING MATERIAL; A THIN AND SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM COATINGSURROUNDING SAID FIGURE, CONSTITUTED OF A RELATIVELY SOFT, EASILY CUTSUBSTANCE; A RELATIVELY THICK AND NON-UNIFORM COATING OF SCULPTURINGMATERIAL, SURROUNDING SAID FIRST-MENTIONED COATING; ANOTHER THIN ANDSUBSTANTIALLY UNIFROM COATING SURROUNDING SAID LAST-MENTIONED COATINGAND CONSTITUTED OF A RELATIVELY SOFT, EASILY CUT SUBSTANCE; AND AFURTHER RELATIVELY THICK AND NON-UNIFORM COATING OF SCULPTURINGMATERIAL, SURROUNDING THE SAID LAST-MENTIONED COATING OF EASILY CUTSUBSTANCE, SAID FURTHER COATING HAVING AN IDEFINITE SHAPE APPRECIABLYDIFFERENT FROM THE SHAPE OF SAID MOLDED FIGURE.